BRAT – Welcome to Bimboviolence

Photo: Greta Gerstner A whirlwind of grindcore, powerviolence, and death metal, BRAT hail from the incredible New Orleans heavy music scene – as a result developing a sound that is quite explosive Read more […]

BRAT – Social Grace (Prosthetic)

Given the vast display of colorful band descriptions, BRAT’s ‘barbiegrind’ and ‘bimboviolence’ still managed to stand out and provide some quick context of what the band is going for. Combine it with a Read more […]

Critical Defiance – The Search Won’t Fall… (Unspeakable Axe Records)

Noteworthy as a South American band who literally push the pedal to the metal when it comes to thrash, Critical Defiance waste no time capitalizing on 2022’s No Life Forms album through this third studio Read more […]

Inner Axis – Midnight Forces (Fastball Music)

Hailing from Kiel, Germany, Inner Axis represents the marriage of classic heavy metal influences channeled through some modern touches. Since their start in 2008, they’ve released two albums Into the Read more […]

Wounds – Ruin (Everlasting Spew Records)

It’s still pretty early in 2024, but the death metal has been flowing like a fine wine. I for one am not complaining, far from it. As long as I have a steady feeding of this and black metal, all is right Read more […]

Lutharo – Chasing Euphoria (Atomic Fire Records)

Slow, gradual movement in the underground can often pay huge dividends when opportunity strikes to make a major move from DIY, self-released offerings to a burgeoning label deal with well-respected people Read more […]

Miehala – Sons of Alaheim (Inverse Records)

Thrash metal continues to survive due to the influx of veteran bands continually recording/touring as well as a series of newer artists willing to put their own stake in the game. Finnish act Miehala began Read more […]

Leather Lung – Emerging From the Ashes

Photo: Raz Asraai When it comes to gritty stoner doom metal that also takes into account aspects of the DIY punk, hardcore, and heavy music scene, there seems to be no better breeding ground for artists Read more […]

Cave – Out of the Cave (Metalapolis Records)

A newer band consisting of seasoned musicians across Germany and the United States, Cave combines elements of melodic hard rock and dramatic heavy metal influences for this debut album Out of the Cave. Read more […]

Defying – Wadera (These Hands Melt)

Always with an ear to the ground for the unusual, my musical explorations over the years have led down all kinds of wacky rabbit holes. Within those many discoveries, we’ve become more drawn to music Read more […]

Dragonforce – Warp Speed Warriors (Napalm)

Hard to believe it’s been five years since we’ve gotten new material from Dragonforce, the band that was unfortunately saddled with ‘that band from Guitar Hero’ tag that seemed to follow them everywhere Read more […]

Illumishade – Lighting Up A New Side

Bursting onto the scene with some launching power due to vocalist Fabienne Erni and guitarist Jonas Wolf’s presence in the band Eluveitie, Illumishade stayed in the public ear due to their ability to make Read more […]

Atrophy – Asylum (Massacre Records)

During the first wave of thrash in the 1980s to early 90s, acts from all over the globe clamored for a piece of the burgeoning appeal that had a fervent fanbase captivated by the speedy tempos, machine Read more […]

Midas Fall – Cold Waves Divide Us (Monotreme Records)

Plain to see, a lot of the bands that this scribe is drawn to are on the heavier end of the spectrum, leaning towards death, black, and doom especially. Don’t let that fool you, as my sometimes twisted Read more […]

Aborted – Vault of Horrors (Nuclear Blast)

Long-time death metal and gore champions, Aborted don’t need much of an introduction anymore. Vault of Horrors is their 12th offering in almost 30 years of existence – the band has certainly paid their Read more […]

Firewind – Mindful When United

Photo: Tim Tronckoe Glorious times for melodic power metal followers – especially when a new Firewind album hits the streets. Stand United as the tenth studio record sees these gentlemen continue Read more […]

Alterium – Of War and Flames (AFM Records)

When Italian power metal band Kalidia called it quits in 2022, it was quite a bummer for anyone who had been following them. Their potent mix of classic and more modern influences, along with Nicoletta Read more […]

Saturnalia Temple – Paradigm Call (Listenable Records)

Doom metal has blossomed into this outward, expansive genre – incorporating all sorts of influences that can be dark, bluesy, gritty, and dismal all in the same outfit. Swedish band Saturnalia Temple Read more […]

Turbulence – Binary Dream (Frontiers Music)

Eager to enjoy artists from every part of the globe, Turbulence is a progressive metal/ rock outfit hailing from Lebanon – not exactly a country known for artists in this style. Since their inception Read more […]

Grey Skies Fallen – Mournful While Exuding Hope

New York’s Grey Skies Fallen has been a vital act to the US underground metal scene. Their fusion of influences across doom, death, and progressive lines ensures each recording contains some distinctive Read more […]

Before the Dawn – Archaic Flame (Napalm Records)

After a decade-plus long absence from the scene, Before the Dawn came back with a vengeance through last year’s Stormbringers album. Latest vocalist Paavo Laapotti fits like a glove into this Finnish Read more […]

Vlad in Tears – Relapse (Metalville)

Hot on the heels of 2022’s Porpora, Vlad in Tears strikes while creatively on fire through this latest studio record Relapse. A year in the making, the trio would spend ten days together recording at Read more […]

Sonata Arctica – Clear Cold Beyond (Atomic Fire Records)

Fresh off a two-part series where they reinterpreted electric versions of their songs into stripped-down renditions for the Acoustic Adventures Volume 1 and 2 releases in 2022, Sonata Arctica appears ready Read more […]

Lutharo – Riding Within Euphoria

Toronto, Canada has within their ranks another modern melodic metal beast in the form of Lutharo. Steadily establishing their diverse style that includes elements of power, thrash, death influences, a Read more […]

Midnight – Hellish Expectations (Metal Blade Records)

The one-man army known as Athenar returns for the sixth Midnight full-length platter, the appropriately titled Hellish Expectations. Ubiquitous in output (scroll Metal Archives for his lengthy discography Read more […]

Messiah – Christus Hypercubus (High Roller Records)

Previously forming in 1984, Swiss act Messiah released five albums from 1986-1994, also being a part of the infamous Noise Records roster during the early 90s. They reformed in 2018, releasing their next Read more […]

Judas Priest – Invincible Shield (Sony Music)

Fifty years beyond Rocka Rolla the debut album for UK veterans Judas Priest, we now have before us the latest studio record Invincible Shield. Debate abounds as to the purity of the current lineup – Read more […]

Judas Priest – Shattering the Invincible Shield

Metal journalism has been in this scribe’s blood since the late 1980’s. After decades of talks with musicians around the globe, there are only a few personal bucket list conversations that would be Read more […]

Suicidal Angels – Profane Prayer (Nuclear Blast)

When Profane Prayer the new album from thrash metal marauders Suicidal Angels hit my mailbox, to say I was excited is putting it mildly. The day had not been a very good one but that all changed with its Read more […]

Sentry – Sentry (High Roller Records)

Sadly, an icon in the metal realm passed away in Mark Shelton, leader of Manilla Road, back in the summer of 2018 after their gig at German festival Headbangers Open Air. The remaining members took a few Read more […]

Kill the Lights – Death Melodies (Fearless Records)

A group that was easily to check off all of the ‘supergroup’ status boxes on, Kill the Lights contains ex/members of Bullet for my Valentine, Still Remains, Threat Signal, and Throw the Fight, and as such, Read more […]